The Wax Pools

Chapter Three: Bear

Warning: Mentions of sexual stuff, swearing, mental health issues, alcohol use

This chapter is dedicated to the one person who read the first two chapters so far <3

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Gods they were so pretty.

too pretty, so pretty that I couldn't stop thinking about them. I didn't look to see if they had trinkets on them, but it would be 1 in a million that either of them had one to match mine.

and the way they looked at me, interested and curious. I shivered lying in the nest I call my bed that night, and I felt shame at it, but I touched myself thinking of them, thinking of both of them. What I wanted them to do to me, at the same time. Thinking of both of them made me feel greedy in a weird way, I had never slept with a man, and here I was wanting both of them. I wanted their devotion, their worship, their bodies against mine.

The guilt brought the other bad thoughts to the surface. I would never find my soulmate. Even if I did he probably wouldn't want me, I'm not attractive, my body isn't lovable. I have scars both mentally and physically. It's pretty uncommon but even your soulmate can reject you. The gods can be cruel.

My brain hates me, I'm convinced, I don't think anyone else has a brain that shit talks themselves constantly. There was only one thing that was going to help me sleep when my mind was like this, my home brewed and aged mead. I grabbed a bottle and glass from my nightstand, nothing like drinking your demons away.

I woke with a splitting headache, mead will do that to you but wine is worse.

I spent my morning making a dozen bottles of healing salve, I figured Bear would only need a few but I could use a few more in stock. He hadn't specified what kind he wanted so I just made a general one for keeping infection out of a wound, plus a little cayenne to prevent bleeding.

They didn't come by until the evening, right before I was about to close again.

As soon as I was taking the sign down from the window they came in like they were waiting for me to be alone. The thought gave me butterflies.

I scolded myself silently for thinking like that, they were more likely to make fun of me than take an actual interest.

"Thank you" Adam muttered as he slid a small bag of coins across the counter, not making eye contact, taking the bottles I handed him without so much as a glance.

"anytime" I replied "it's my job after all"

"do you mind if we stay a moment? there's something we would like to talk to you about," Bear said, his usual smirk absent for once.

Shit, I thought we weren't talking about our little incident. I felt my face burn and undoubtedly grow bright pink. It seemed like Adam could sense what I was thinking.

"it's not about our run-in yesterday, don't worry," he said, still not making direct eye contact.

"which I would love to hear more about, by the way, Adam didn't tell me about whatever happened that makes the two of you turn so red" Bear's smirk was back. So Adam didn't say anything to him after all.

I took a deep breath of relief and felt my face return a bit to normal.

"I guess you can stay, did you want some commissioned work done or something?" I said, dismissing his comment about the forest.

They stood silent for a moment, the growing quiet was worrying. Bear's smirk had disappeared again. They looked at each other like they would wordlessly fighting about who would speak up first. My gaze flicked between them, waiting.

"Okay," Adam sighed, finally meeting my eyes. My mind was swirling with dozens of horrible scenarios that might be heading my way, but I couldn't help getting a little lost in his eyes when he looked at me. Usually, eye contact makes me uncomfortable but his was soothing, I could easily get lost in those eyes.

"First of all, you should know we aren't from this town and are planning on returning to the capital within a week," my confusion only grew, my eyebrows knitting tight together as I tried to guess where he was going with this, and why it pertained to me.

"I'm telling you this first because what I'm about to say means you have a decision to make, and know that it is truly up to you," there is so much nervousness in his voice that mine is being amplified with every second.

"Please just say it you're freaking me out" I beg. Adam is clearly struggling to spit it out, gods this is really killing me, my heart pounds.

"maybe it would be easier to show her," Adam says pleadingly at Bear.

Bear nods and they both reach into their pockets. I almost faint at the sight of what they pull out.

In each of their palms is a glass triangle, with gold gilded edges, and a slight outcropping on one side.